Fire-escape ladder



(No Model.)

- A. J.BARTLETT.

.FIRE ESCAPE LADDER} No. 292,531 PatentedIJamZQ, 1884.

- lfIVE/VTOR WM N. PEYERS. Photo-Lhhogmplmr. Wmhinglm n. c.

g UNETED STATES PATENT @FFICE.

ANDREW J. BARTLETT, or ELK FLAT, o'nneov.

.. I FIRE-ESCAPE LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 292,531, dated January 29, 1854.

' Application filed October 2,1883. no man.)

T0 to whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW J. BARTLETT,

' a citizen of the United States, residing at Elk provide every outside room of a building with placed or missing in case of need.

a flexible ladder extending from the windowsill to the street below, and arranged to be readily attached to the sidewalk or curbing of the street; and, secondly, to arrange a convenient receptacle for the ladder'when it is not required to be used as a fire-escape, and yethave the same where it cannot be misjects I attain in the manner illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view of a ladder extending from the window and attached to the curbing ready for use. Fig. 2 shows the same wound or coiled in the box or receptacle in the window-sill. Figs. 3 and 4 are views showing the roller or shaft around which the ladder is rolled and the method of attaching'the lower end of the ladder to the curbing.

A is theladder, constructed of two flexible metallic or leather straps, d, and having a series of cross-bars, Z), securely attached to the straps a. These cross bars 6 are made of strong wire passing through the straps to and having the ends bent back to meet each other where they are looped together, thus making These obto wind it up; straps a of the ladder are provided with snaphooks d, which are arranged to fasten into rings 6, let into the curbing of the sidewalk or street below. As the ladder is of length just sufficient to extend from the window-sill to the curbing, it will, when attached, provide a gentle incline which a child or infirm person can readily descend, and even if no attachment is made, it can still be descended quite as easily as an ordinary ladder. double rungs afford afirmer hold for the hand and feet, especially for children. I

When not in use, the ladder is wound upon the shaft, the-crank is removed and placed in the receptacle with the ladder, the lid is closed, and the whole device is at hand when needed, but yet entirely out of the way and concealed, so that no storage-room is required, while at the same time it is impossible for the ladder to be missing in the event of its being suddenly required.

In case of fire the occupant of the room raises the window, opens the receptacle, and drops the free end of the ladder to the street below. It unwinds from the roller by its own The lower or free ends of the The weight, and when it reaches the ground it is attached to the rings in the curbing, forming an incline, and the occupant descends. The

7 foot of the ladder being attached to the curbing at some distance from thebuilding, in case of fire in the lower stories persons descending from above will be clear of flames and smoke coming out of the windows below; or the ladder may be swung still farther out and held, which'will make the-incline still easier to descend.

Having thus fully describedmy invention, what Iclaim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. 'A fire-escape ladder consisting of two fiat leather or metallic side pieces,a a, attached to and rolled around the shaft or roller f, which is secured in a receptacle opening through the window-sill, said side pieces being connected 9 by aseries of double wire rungs, and the lower end of each side piece having attached asnaphook arranged to fasten in a ring secured to the curbing of the street, all as described.

2. The combination of the shaft or roller f,

secured in a receptacle opening through the I In testimony whereof I affix mysignaturein window-sill, said shaftbeing provided'with u I presence of two witnesses.

removable crank with the side pieces a a T 3 the double wire lungs or steps b, the snap E A) DREV LARTLETT hooks d, and the attaching-rings e, the latter \Vitnesses: secured in the street-curbing, all substantially D. MERRITT,

as described. I S. L. Tnonrsox. 

